Solace
by WorldOfMyImagination
Summary: One-shot. Follows the end of Bloodline. Feeling completely lost and alone, Dom attempts to salvage his relationship with the one person he thinks may need a shoulder to cry on as much as he does.


**Author's Note: **Someone had to fix this week's episode and it was not the Holby writers. Someone also had to make sure that a certain person has not actually fallen off the face of the earth so here we are. Not sure I'm 100% happy with this but I've given it a go. Reviews appreciated :)

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Dom pulled up outside the house and wondered what on earth he was thinking. He was a mess. He looked a mess, he felt a mess, perhaps this really was not a good idea considering the circumstances in which they were last in a room together. If only he had kept his mouth shut. It was a habit, though, opening his mouth before engaging his brain and all too often he considered it a curse. Suddenly awoken from his thoughts by a figure leaving the house to put out the bins, he watched as she did so but still could not make himself get out of the car. The front door closed behind her once again and Dom knew that if he left it any longer, he might as well turn around and go home which if he was perfectly honest, he could not face just yet. Picking up the carrier bag on the front seat, he got out of the car and made his way to the front door. He knocked and waited with baited breath. Receiving no response, Dom knocked again and after what seemed like an eternity, he went to walk away but was stopped in his tracks when the door finally opened, though not fully. Turning back round again, he smiled in relief.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Hi." Chloe said in a small voice, opening the door wider.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"Better than you by the looks of it." She responded, referring to Dom's bloodied nose.

"Are you sure about that?" Dom noticed how pale Chloe looked. Her eyes were glazed over and had dark circles underneath.

"Do you want to come in or are you going to stand outside in the cold all night?" She changed the subject. Dom stepped inside and followed Chloe through to the living room. She sat down on the sofa and he copied.

"I'm really sorry about the other day." Dom started. "What I did was wrong."

"It's fine. I know you were only trying to help." She replied. "I was in a bad place, I overreacted."

"And what about now?" He questioned gently. She shook her head.

"Better. Better than I was but..." She swallowed. She had tried to sound convincing but had not even managed to convince herself. "And what about you?"

"Well, since finding out that I am adopted and that my biological mother and sister are both working at Holby, I have also found out that my husband cheated on me and my abusive ex-boyfriend is out of prison and at the hospital with his terminally-ill father but apart from that..." He laughed sadly.

"Oh Dom, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. None of this is your doing."

"Your nose, did your ex do that?" Chloe asked cautiously.

"No, that was Lofty." Dom responded. Chloe looked shocked. "I hit him first." He defended.

"Sounds like quite a day." She commented. "It's all happening at the moment isn't it?" Dom nodded.

"Have you spoken to Ange recently?" Dom was not sure how Chloe would react to this.

"She keeps calling me but I just...I just can't face talking to her at the moment and Evan says that I should stay away from her and from you in case...in case I end up back _there _again and I can't lose control like I have so many times before." Her eyes filled with tears.

"You haven't done anything, have you? I mean, to hurt yourself." Dom's concern for Chloe was growing by the minute.

"Mum told you?" Her voice cracked.

"Only because she cares." Dom said calmly. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at her for telling you all these personal things about me, about us and then she wonders why I won't talk to her?!" She said in despair. "You know, all the other times I've...struggled she has been there for me. She has listened, put up with the tears, pulled all-nighters with me when things got really bad and told me that I was in control and now she is telling you everything and I have never, ever felt this much out of control. Why is she doing this?" Her head fell into her hands, determined not to let Dom see her cry. Dom moved to sit next to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame.

"She may not be going about it in the best way but it is only because she cares about you." He told her.

"She doesn't need me anymore." She choked. "She has her son back now. The one born from love."

"Don't talk like that. Chloe you are everything to her." He said. "Besides, _I_ need you." She looked up and could see in Dom's eyes that he really meant what he said.

"I...I need you too, Dom." She admitted shakily. "I know this whole thing is a mess but I am so, so glad we found you."

"Don't tell Ange but you're the best thing to come out of all this." He told her. "I've had a mum before, I've never had a sister." He grinned. Chloe gave a small laugh and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She apologised. "You didn't come here for any more drama."

"I brought cinnamon swirls." He announced in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I was going to bring alcohol but seeing as that contributed to me and Lofty knocking seven bells out of each other in the middle of the hospital earlier I decided against it." Dom got up and picked up the carrier bag, taking out the packet and handing it to Chloe. "You pick first." Gratefully, Chloe took one of the cinnamon swirls out of the packet and handed it back to Dom, who sat back down again.

"So you and Lofty." Chloe began. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"Of course not." Dom replied. "Well you know he went on holiday?" Chloe nodded. "He slept with someone else because he couldn't get hold of me. I was actually avoiding his calls because of finding out about being adopted and, well, you know the rest. He does feel guilty, I know that much. Lofty is rubbish at hiding his feelings so I know he really regrets what he did and he has tried to talk to me and sort things out but with Isaac turning up I gave him a really hard time today, we ended up having a scrap and now he's ended it." He explained downheartedly.

"Now if you really want to become one of the family then you need to learn that us Godard's do not give up easily, we do not back down and we certainly do not let other people dictate what we do." Chloe told him deadly seriously. "And as the oldest child, you should be setting an example." She finished, looking at him expectantly.

"Fine." He said defeatedly. "I'll talk to him."

"Good." Chloe said, satisfied. "And if you don't, I'll have to come and knock your heads together."

"Alright Little Miss Feisty!"

"I am not little!" She argued.

"Yes you are, you're my little sister." He grinned. Chloe huffed and folded her arms in mock-frustration, though unable to hide her amusement. "So when are you back at work?"

"Next week. Jac thinks I have flu so if you see her please don't give the game away." She pleaded.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. How are things with Evan?" He asked.

"Complicated." She answered. "He's been great since...you know...but he's so keen for us to get back together."

"And you don't want to?"

"No. I'm done with relationships, at least for now. I need to find my feet at Holby and sort out all the mess we're in."

"Did you tell him that?"

"I tried. He's not the sort of person who takes no for an answer and what can I do when he's been so good to me?" She sighed.

"If he really loves you then he will respect your wishes. Don't let him force you into a relationship if you're not ready. You're in control, remember? And you're a Godard. Don't let him dictate what you do." Dom repeated Chloe's earlier words. "I know that there are some things that you can't say to some people, even those who have the best intentions but we're in a similar boat here so if you ever want to talk or even just want to sit and eat cinnamon swirls together then call me, okay? You don't have to feel alone." Chloe appreciated Dom's gesture far more than she could express.

"Thanks." She said shyly. "Same for you too. I mean, I'm not the best company in the world but I can give you pep talks and dinner if you give me enough notice." She responded with a smile.

"Do you know what? I might take you up on that." He replied.

"Well if I'm not here I'll be at the hospital and vice versa so you know where to find me." She told him. "I'm glad we have each other." She rested her head on Dom's shoulder.

"Me too." He said contentedly. "Me too."


End file.
